Heat exchanger plate and sealing gasket lockable thereto

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanger plate and a sealing gasket, and a combination thereof, the heat exchanger plate having a plurality of integrally formed locking clip housings for receiving at discrete locations, in interlocking engagement therewith, a plurality of locking clips formed integrally with a specially formed sealing gasket. Each locking clip housing has one or more windows defined by locking rims, the windows each at determined spatial orientation relative to the plane of the heat exchanger plate, for mechanically receiving therethrough in mechanical engagement with the locking rims, one or more portions of one or more locking clips, so as to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the locking clips from the housings.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to heat exchanger plates for use in heat exchanger stacks, and sealing gaskets therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The gaskets in gasketed plate heat exchangers are positioned on the plate in a long narrow groove, whose depth is the plate drawing depth and from its two sides are two shoulders at the same height as the “plate peaks” plane. The positioned gaskets move easily out of their place. When this occurs, not only do the gaskets not seal properly, but their presence outside the sealing groove causes disruption to proper closing of the plates and significant leakage between them.

In the past, the gasket would be glued into the groove to ensure that it remained in place. This solution is expensive, time-consuming, and makes ongoing maintenance of the heat exchanger difficult, as every time a gasket in the plate is replaced due to wear and tear, the glue must also be removed. To overcome the disadvantages of gluing, methods were invented to hold the gasket in place using mechanical clips.

Known in the art are rubber gripping clips that are part of the gasket in the form of finger-like tabs that tightly grip the sheet metal plate edges in specially-designed spaces, taking advantage of the hardness of the rubber (which is not high) to hold the gasket in place. However, rubber by its very nature is elastic, and when an undirected, moderate, random force is applied to the rubber gripping clip, the grip is released, and the rubber gasket moves out of place.

Exemplary solutions may be found in the following publications: U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,224 entitled “Heat exchanger plates and sealing gaskets therefor”, U.S. Pat. No. 10,663,235 entitled “Gasket retention system”, U.S. Pat. No. 10,544,998 entitled “Attachment means, gasket arrangement and assembly”, U.S. Pat. No. 10,451,361 entitled “Attachment means, gasket arrangement, heat exchanger plate and assembly”, U.S. Pat. No. 7,490,660 entitled “Coupling structure of heat transfer plate and gasket of plate type heat exchanger”, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,415 entitled “Heat exchanger plate and such a plate with a gasket”.

DEFINITIONS

The following terms are use throughout this disclosure, unless specified otherwise:

“Locking clip housing” or “clip housing” is used to refer to an integrally formed portion of a heat exchanger plate. The housing has an upper “strike” portion and a lower “bearing plate” portion, and configured to receive in interlocking engagement, the bolt and associated wedges of a gasket locking clip.

“Gasket locking clip” or “locking clip” is used to refer to an integrally formed portion of the sealing gasket and extending laterally therefrom, for insertion into a locking clip housing in interlocking engagement therewith, so as to secure the sealing gasket to the heat exchanger plate.

“Window” or “locking window” is used to refer to an opening between the strike portion and bearing plate portion of the housing, and “locking rim” is used to refer to each flat surface of these plate portions defining a window, each window being formed between a number of rims.

“Locking rims” are rims against which correspondingly flat surfaces of the wedges of a locking clip abut after insertion of the locking clip into the clip housing and after consequent extension of the wedges through the windows, resulting in interlocking engagement of the clip housing and locking clip.

“Confinement rims” are the above-mentioned flat surfaces of the wedges.

SUMMARY

The present invention hence discloses a plate and a gasket of a Gasketed Plate Heat Exchanger (GPHE). The plate is characterized by length X (hereinafter “main longitudinal axis”, directed North), width Y (transverse axis) and height Z; upwards surface (UP) and opposite surface (DOWN). The plate is corrugated with an array of protruding peaks and depressed valleys. Upper plate peaks & valleys are denoted hereto after as P′, V′ and Down plate peaks & valleys are denoted hereto after as P″ and V″. P′ substantially lies on a single plane denoted as (upper-) Peak Plane. V″ substantially lies on a single plane denoted as (down-) Valley Plane, Heights are measured from the valley plane. Distances between P′ and V′ and between P″ and V″ are denoted as drawing depth b′ and b″, respectively. Metal sheet thicknesses between P′ plane P″ or between V′ and V″ are all denoted as t. Plate thickness equals t+b′=b=t+b″ (FIG. 4 ).

When stacked, peaks P′ of plate (n−1) abut (support) valleys V″ of plate (n) and peaks P′ of plate (n) abut valleys V″ of plate (n+1). Again, when stacked and between two adjacent plates, an interspace (channel) is provided for fluid flow. Channels are sealed by a gasket. Each channel comprises at least one inlet and at least one outlet port, provided by holes in the plate corners. Two more holes in the two other corners of the plate are for transferring the other fluid flow to the upper and lower channels. Further again, when stacked, fluid 1 flows above and fluid 2 flows below plate n, respectively. Fluid 2 flows above plate (n−1) and fluid 1 flows below plate (n+1) and (n−1); a heat transfer zone or heat transfer area comprises all plate area through which fluid 1 is in indirect contact with fluid 2.

The two pairs of ports in each plate, each with an inlet and outlet openings for fluid 1 and for fluid 2 respectively, are provided along the long side of the plate along the main longitudinal axis.

The heat exchanger plate is produced by cold drawing forming, usually with special purpose, dedicated dies: a lower die is made of shaped protrusions of a height equal to the depth of the plate drawing depth (b″), and of depressions formed between the protrusions, the depth of which is also (b″), like the plate drawing depth. An upper die is also made of shaped protrusions and depressions of the same height (b′). The shaped protrusions in the lower die enter the spaces between the protrusions of the upper die in such a way that between the upper and lower protrusions there remains a gap of approximately 1.2t to about 2t wide. Similarly, the protrusions in the upper and lower impressions of the dies are rounded, at their portion, which is close to the plate sheet metal for the entire length of the geometric form, when the magnitude of the drawing radius (r) ranges between about t≥r≥3t. During the process of the drawing of the plate, a plate sheet metal of thickness (t) is placed between the upper and lower parts of the die, and the upper part of the die is lowered onto the plate sheet metal, and towards the lower part of the die, under a hydraulic force of thousands of tons. The spaces and radii of the dies, allow the sheet metal to flow, stretch, and to receive the form of the protrusions above and below without damage or tearing.

A continuous sealing gasket groove is drawn along the UP side of the plate. The groove has having a narrow plane base in the Valley V′ plane, with two inclined opened shoulders from its two sides which extends upwardly to the Peak plane P′ (FIG. 6 ). The groove surrounds the four openings all around and connect and surround each of them to the main heat transfer area in the plate as shown in FIG. 7 .

The gasket groove has three main parts. The first part continuously encircles the inlet opening of fluid 1 on its plate edge side, the heat exchange area and fluid 1 outlet opening on its plate edge side, called hereinafter “The main gasket portion”. The second part is a circular gasket portion surrounding the inlet port of fluid 2. The third part is a circular gasket portion surrounding the outlet port of fluid 2. Outside the gasket grooves extends towards the plate edge an area called the Out Gasket area. The area is shown in FIG. 7 . The area between the openings edges and the circular gasket grooves around it is called the Out Opening Area as shown in FIG. 7 . The Out Gasket Area and Out Opening Area may also be referred to herein as plate edge portions or simply “edge portions”. The upper P′ and lower V″ plate surfaces of the Out gasket area are exposed to atmospheric air pressure. A perforation or shearing of the plate in this area is allowed as it cannot compromise plate performance and safety. The same is true for the four Out opening areas, where the Out opening areas are exposed to one fluid only from both sides of the plate. A hole in the plate in these four areas (the plate edge portions) will not negatively impact operation of the heat exchanger . This understanding is the key to the one sided shearing window which is the metal housing for the locking clip, as discussed herein.

In this application are disclosed structures of lockable, mechanical clips (called locking clips) that are easy to put in place in a locked position, but difficult to remove from this position, to the extent that a tool such as a screwdriver is required to release the lock. Alternatively, a lever could be built into the clip to release the lock, and thereby the gasket.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The locking clip 30 (FIGS. 6, 9, 13A-14C, 16A-17C, for example) described in the present application is made for use with one or more specially shaped, dedicated housings 60 (FIGS. 4, 6, 8, 11B, 12B, 13A-17C, for example) in the metal sheet plate 10 (FIG. 7 , for example), each referred to as a metal, locking clip housing, or simply ‘housing’. Each metal clip housing 60 has one or more windows 1, referred to as a vertical window, that is approximately vertical to the plate plane (XY plane) as seen in FIG. 7 . Each window is defined by one or more contours, and one or more locking rims, described below in detail in conjunction with FIGS. 4, 19A and 20A, forming together with the window a three dimensional surface (XYZ) produced in the plate drawing process or in other processes described below in conjunction with FIGS. 11A-12B; this includes at the bottom of the housing and in its center more or less at the valley plane V′, a drawn surface called the protecting plate or bearing plate portion with at least one connection to the bolt groove or directly to the gasket groove or to another protecting plate, and at least one continuous surface connecting the clip housing parts that are at the V′ plane to its parts on the P′ plane, called the peakside (FIG. 8 ).

The invention also includes one or more shaped dedicated gasket locking clips 30 (FIGS. 6, 9, 14A-14C, 16A-17C, produced together with the gasket spine by hot rubber molding or by any other production means. Each of the gasket clips 30 includes two main parts, namely a bolt 106 and one or more insertion and confinement units, each called a wedge, referenced 108.

As seen, for example in FIGS. 6, 9, 13A and 13B, bolt 106 is an arm or a bridge extending approximately within the XY plane, exiting from the gasket spine 22 at a right angle or other transverse angle in the direction of the out plate edge 14′ or the out opening 14″ (FIG. 7 ), as a straight, curved or any other shaped line, and is sitting in a dedicated groove 67 at the valley plane height called the bolt groove, which is connected continuously to the gasket groove 16 of the plate. The insertion and confinement units or wedges 108 are located along the bolt 106, at its end or sides in a three dimensional spatial distribution, according to the location of the vertical window 1, the contour and the locking rims of the vertical housing each wedge engages, and in accordance with the intended manner of engagement, and as predetermined by an engineer or the like. All described gasket parts: the gasket, the gasket bolt(s) and the wedge(s), are manufactured together in a single mold in a precise form planned to suit their function.

Referring generally to FIGS. 6, 9, 10, 13A and 13B, each wedge 108 is typically shaped as a right angled triangle. In the figures it is easy to identify the hypotenuse 109 of the triangle (see FIG. 10 ) known as the Angled edge or Latch, and the triangle leg called the Confinement rim 115. The angled edge and the confinement rim are connected by joint vertex located at the widest point of the angled edge. The other vertex of the confinement rim, forming the right angle vertex of the triangle, is connected together with the second vertex located at the narrowest point of the angled edge, by a line that forms the second leg of the triangle, showing the direction of the wedge's arrow—from the right angle vertex to the narrowest point of the angled edge.

The confinement rim(s): is the locking area of the wedge 108 facing the locking rim(s) of the vertical metal window so as to be confined thereagainst. Examples of confinement rims are shown and described hereinbelow in detail in conjunction with FIGS. 19B and 20B.

The angled edge 109 is the edge that slides and retracts against the contour of the metal vertical window when the wedge is pushed through the window, and automatically extends when passing the contour, returning to its wide natural state. Thus, the wedge confinement rim(s) faces the window locking rim(s) giving rise to a locking state.

The gasket wedge 108 with its confinement rims, when combined with the locking rims of the plate windows, creates a stable and strong gasket/plate locking clip that does not open easily when handled in an unskilled manner by someone not fully trained in servicing the unit. This increases the reliability of the heat exchangers, and enables untrained personnel to handle and service them, including replacing gaskets, or opening and closing them for testing, without fear of malfunction, as often happens in the prior art.

Referring now to FIG. 10 , the wedge 108 is formed such that its polar direction, indicated in the drawing by an arrow 116, will be aligned with the direction of the push of the gasket clip into the vertical window or into any combination of such windows as later described, in order to mate the metal clip housing together with the gasket clip thus locking them together.

Referring now to FIG. 8 , the described metal clip housing 60, includes a single vertical window 1, having one upper rim (P′) at the peak plane and a lower second rim (V′) at the valley plane on the UP side of the plate. Between the two rims, P′ and V′, extends the vertical window. The designation PV, designates a vertical window extending between an upper rim to the left and a lower rim to the right, as illustrated.

VP also or alternatively designates a vertical window extending between a lower rim to its left and an upper rim to its right, enabling the formation of planar or surface locking clips that are extremely strong. For example, PV-VP describes a clip housing having a lower protecting plate V-V at its center, and on both its sides the two vertical windows extend to the upper horizontal rims P and P. Between the two rims P and P extends a new horizontal window, allowing to insert through it a gasket clip with two wedges

Similarly, PV-VP-PV-VP describes a central peak P-P, with surrounding circular valley and an outer peak, between which there are four vertical windows: two between the central peak and the surrounding valley and two between the valley and the outer peak.

The described metal vertical window includes at least one element parallel to the Z-axis (FIG. 7 ). The bottom of the window in a plate with a width (b) starts at a minimal height V′, but can also start higher than V′ if the bottom rim of the window is bent upward, thus allowing any desired starting height. The maximal peak of the window in a plate with the width (b) reaches height P″ or lower, if the upper rim of the window is bent downward to the desired height. The maximal window height in a plate with width (b) is (P″-V′), which equals h(win)max=b−2t, as seen in FIG. 4 .

For the sake of simplicity, described herein is a single metal vertical window, as a partial perforated window without drawing and bending, and at the maximum height extending between the upper valley plane (V′) and the bottom peak plane (P″), as per FIG. 8 . However, the present description also apply in a similar way to partially perforated, drawn or bent windows, respectively. Only the upper and lower surfaces of the windows are described, but the description and claims also include surfaces having an orientation that is transverse to the sides of the window. The continuous and perpendicular upper and lower rim surfaces shown in FIG. 4 , and the parallel surfaces above and below the perpendicular surfaces indicated in FIG. 4 are locking rims that the partially perforated, drawn window structure provides as support and locking surfaces for the gasket wedge confinement rims, that provide locking as per the present invention. To achieve optimal confinement and clip locking, it is possible to use some or all the surfaces, as predetermined .

Referring now to FIGS. 11A-12B, in the present disclosure, in specified portions 14 (FIG. 7 ) of the plate 10, as predetermined, the space between the lower and upper protrusions of the upper and lower dies is reduced to a very tight space (tolerance) of just several hundredths of a millimeter (δ), and eliminate the described rounding radius (r) or leave it, or change it while adding a partially perforated one-sided shearing shoulder. Reducing the gap between the protrusions in predetermined locations and in a predetermined form, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, for example, causes the plate metal to be partially perforated (one sided shearing) in these areas, while receiving a shaped curved or straight or any other continuous or discontinuous shape sheared line on a plane or any curved surface form, in accordance with the form of the projection of the shearing line on the XY plane, and together with the drawing process (lowering of the upper part of the die onto the lower part of the die), the partial perforation (one sided shearing) formed in the metal, transforms into a shaped window, predetermined portions of which are drawn or bent either upward from below or downward from above, or are simply sheared with a window between them.

As illustrated in FIGS. 11A-12B, two symmetrical windows 1 can be produced in a single operation when a central upper die protrusion is pushed down between two shoulders, to its right and its left, all having sharp edges and tight space (δ), as described. As a result, a pair of one-sided shearings parallel or at any angle to each other are formed. Lowering further the central die protrusion draws the central metal plate that faces it downwards to the valley plane, leaving the plate above the two shoulders at the peak plane in place, sheared from this central plate (called the upper horizontal rims), thus creating two vertical windows 1 and between their bottom parts V′-V′ extends the protecting plate 8 which is continuously connected to the remainder of the main plate by at least one connection through the bolt groove or directly to the gasket groove 16. This also forms a new induced horizontal opening extending between the upper horizontal rims P′-P′, called the horizontal window, having at least two upper horizontal rims, parallel or angled to each other. An example of a horizontal opening is seen in FIGS. 49A and 49B. The protecting plate or bearing plate portion 8 is parallel and below the horizontal window with generally similar dimensions. The gasket locking clip can be pushed through the horizontal window, retracting as it passes through the horizontal window rims and then extending back to its natural form once pushed through. The protecting plate 8 prevents the exertion of opposite forces that would force the gasket locking clip 30 out from the housing 60. The vertical and horizontal windows, the window rims and contours, the peakside(s) and the protecting plate(s) and its connection(s) all form together the metal clip housing. This structure can be described as PV-VP.

As seen in FIG. 13A, in the case of single vertical window produced by a single one-sided shearing with a horizontal engagement, the function of the protecting or bearing plate is provided by the addition of a drawn valley 8′ in the out gasket area 14′ or the Out Opening area 14″, which protects the locking clip from unintentional retrieval, called the protecting valley. Similarly, multiple vertical windows in any spatial arrangement can be produced, for example PV-VP-PV-PV-PV.

FIGS. 14A-14C show a rectangular locking clip 30 at about 45-degree angle to the gasket groove (alpha and beta angles) 16, including a clip housing 60 with four vertical windows and one bolt groove 37, which connects the central protecting plate to the gasket spine groove 16. The matching gasket clip (FIG. 14B) has a central bolt 82 having four wedges 108 with downward arrow direction. Section A-A, seen in FIG. 14C, shows a section of the locking clip, which includes the vertical and horizontal windows and the wedges in place with their confinement rims against the locking rims of the clip housing. The arrow designated “P_(in)” seen in FIG. 14C depicts the direction of the force required to push the gasket clip into the metal clip housing. The cancelled arrow designated “P_(out)” depicts the opposite force direction that the presence of the protecting plate at the bottom of the metal clip housing totally prevents. Full locking between the locking clip and the housing is seen in FIG. 14C.

The resulting vertical window, with a height of h(win), has a shaped rim (contour) that is either flat or in any curved form, and its shape can be square, oblong, rhomboid, triangular with an upper base or a lower base, circle or semi-circle, or any other predetermined shape, as shown in FIG. 15A-15L. The upper horizontal rims can, but need not be, parallel to the plane of the plate, and similarly the rest of the rims of the vertical window, the shape of the window either can be closed or can have an open section in one of its sections in any direction, as predetermined, as shown in FIG. 16 .

Each vertical or horizontal window rim ends with three surfaces: either continuing surfaces aligned with the window surface, or perpendicular to the window surface, which can all serve as locking rims. For example, in a triangular window, there are nine potential locking rims, and in an oblong window, there are 12 potential locking rims.

The maximum height of the window obtained from partial perforation only, without drawing and bending of the metal upward or downward, respectively, is the thickness of the plate (b) minus twice the thickness of the metal sheet plate (t)

winhmax=(b−2t)=(d−t) as shown in FIG. 4 .

The height of the vertical metal window can be increased to more than (b−2t) by a local increase of the width of the plate to more than width (b), for example by adding a local protrusion that increases the height of the window beyond the height of the plate's peak plane, according to a meticulous design of the plate, such that the plate functioning is not disturbed, as shown and described below in conjunction with FIG. 13A. Similarly, the bottom rim of the window can be lowered below V″ height, by adding a depression lower than the valley plane V″, at an appropriate location according to a meticulous design of the plate. The maximal height of the heightened window H(win) is higher than the maximal height of the standard window h(win), such that H(win)max>=h(win)max=b−2t.

Increasing the window height allows the use of a higher or taller gasket bolt. This has significance as the width of the plate may be very small, sometimes as little as 1.5 mm. Increasing the width of the gasket clip and along it, the width of the gasket clip bolt and wedges, increases the strength and functionality of the locking clip and improves its performance.

The height of the window can also be reduced as previously described in FIG. 12 .

A vertical metal locking window can be engaged in two ways: a vertical engagement and a horizontal engagement. Each type of engagement requires a different type of dedicated gasket clip.

In horizontal engagement the wedges are located at the bolt's end and their arrow direction, which is the push direction, is parallel more or less to the XY plane, into a single metal vertical window perpendicular to the wedge. The wedges are horizontally pushed in order to engage the locking rims that are formed by several of the continuous rims of the windows (see FIG. 13 ) located at either sides of the window (side rims) or at the horizontal continuous rims below and above the window (a downward bending is required to create an appropriate upper continuous rim).

In vertical engagement the wedge is located at the end of the bolt facing downward in the −Z direction more or less. With a vertical push, the wedge will engage the locking rim formed by the upper horizontal perpendicular rim of a vertical window, which is the higher horizontal plane, perpendicular to the window (P″), to create vertical locking engagement, as exemplified in FIG. 6 , stable and strong as later described.

The shearing process used in the manufacturing of the window, the contour and its surrounding surfaces, can be performed precisely with such space tolerance that does not leave burrs around. However, a burr can be of use when produced in a controlled way, thus improving the grip and the locking force by becoming stuck in the gasket clip and thus strengthening the locking engagement therebetween. Use of the presence of burrs in the forming of the window so as to increase the grip between the housing is included within the scope of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 17A-17D, there are seen a locking clip housing and gasket locking clip in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, described herein only with respect to its difference from other embodiments of the invention.

In the present embodiment, as a variation on the above-described shaped wedges, there is provided a gripping pin 300, as seen in FIG. 17B and as shown and described below in etail in conjunction with FIG. 50 . In the present embodiment, at the end of the bolt extends one or more pins, each of which is slightly larger at its base than the window or windows in at least two of its opposing planes; and at its tip 302 it is chamfered, forming the insertion portion of the pin. The dimensions of the chamfered tip 302 are slightly narrower than those of the window 1 or windows in the metal clip housing 30 (FIG. 17A), and which guides the pin 300 thereinto. The shape of the pin is similar to that of the window or windows, it is oriented more or less perpendicular thereto, and may be inserted thereinto by being pushed forcefully against the sharp rims of the window(s), such that when inserted the pin's surfaces are contracted and distorted, exerting an opposite force both on the sharp rims and on the burrs that may be located along the contour of the window(s). Thus, the burrs and sharp contour edges of the window stick into the pin's surfaces, resisting any force seeking to pull the pin 300 out of the window 1, thus forming a strong gripping mechanical grip or purchase, in accordance with the present embodiment.

The above linear gripping pin 300 and associated housing are shown in enlarged view in FIG. 50 . Locking window 1 has right and left locking rims 215 that are roughened, sharpened or burred. While the width Wt of chamfered in end 302 is less than width Wo of the window opening, as seen in the drawing, the width Wp of the pin 300 is greater than Wo. Accordingly, once initially easily inserted into window 1 via its chamfered tip, force is required to then complete the insertion. As mentioned above, once the pin has been fully inserted past locking rims 215, such that it is compressed therebetween, a much more significant force than the insertion force, would be required to withdraw the pin from the window, such that it would be highly unlikely if not impossible, for the pin to be withdrawn inadvertently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 (not provided)

FIG. 2 (not provided)

FIG. 3 (not provided)

FIG. 4 is a side-sectional view of a locking clip housing having a pair of locking windows formed along a peak of the plate edge portion;

FIG. 5 (not provided)

FIG. 6 is an isometric schematic view of a window formed in the side wall of the gasket channel, and a sideways oriented locking clip for vertical engagement therewith;

FIG. 7 is a generalized schematic illustration of a heat exchanger plate;

FIG. 8 NEW is a schematic side-sectional view of a locking clip housing showing a single locking window and four locking rims;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged and rotated view of the locking clip seen in FIG. 6 ;

FIG. 10 is a schematic representation showing force components acting on a wedge during insertion through a window;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are a schematic cross-sectional view of a metal plate positioned between an exemplary pair dies prior to cold drawing forming of a plate having a locking clip housing in accordance with the present invention, and a locking clip housing formed thereby;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are similar to FIGS. 11A and 11B , but show forming of a locking clip in accordance with an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 13A shows a sideways locking clip for engagement with a vertical window protruding above the XY plane of the plate;

FIG. 13B is similar to FIG. 13A, but wherein the vertical window does not protrude above the XY plane of the plate;

FIG. 14A is a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a 45 degree locking clip housing with four locking windows and one bolt groove;

FIG. 14B is a detailed plan view and part sectional views of a gasket locking clip for locking engagement with the locking clip housing of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 14C is a detailed plan view and part sectional view of the gasket locking clip of FIG. 14B when fully assembled within the locking clip housing of FIG. 14A;

FIGS. 15A and 15B are front and side-sectional views of a locking window with an upper rim portion formed at plate peak level;

FIGS. 15C and 15D are front and side-sectional views of a locking window with an upper rim portion formed above in a plate peak;

FIGS. 15E and 15F are front and side-sectional views of a locking window with an upper rim portion formed at an elevated peak level;

FIGS. 15G-15L are front views of a locking window respectively shown as triangular (FIGS. 15G and 15H), circular (FIG. 15I), fanciful/non-geometric (FIG. 15J), rectangular (FIG. 15K, and semi-circular (FIG. 15L);

FIG. 16 shows a locking clip housing having a shaped window formed in the side of a peak portion of a plate edge, adapted for inward lateral engagement of a loop mounted, inward facing locking clip;

FIG. 16B shows the locking clip once locked within the locking clip housing; FIG. 16C is a front elevational view of the locking clip housing of FIGS. 16A and 16B, showing the locking clip as seen in FIG. 16B;

FIG. 17 is a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a plurality of differently formed single vertical windows for locking with various types of horizontal engagement gasket clips;

FIG. 17B is a detailed plan view of a gasket locking clip exemplifying various types of horizontal engagement gasket clips for locking engagement with the locking clip housing of FIG. 17A;

FIG. 17C is a detailed plan view of the gasket locking clips of FIG. 17B when fully assembled within the locking clip housings of FIG. 39A;

FIG. 17D is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 17C showing a single vertical window with upper and lower horizontal locking rims, wherein engagement of the locking clip therein requires a horizontal thrusting direction;

FIGS. 18A-18C shows basic height dimensions of a window;

FIGS. 18D-18J shown windows having various different shapes;

FIGS. 19A and 19B is a schematic cross-section of a locking clip housing having a single locking window, and the bolt and wedges of a locking clip for locking therein, respectively;

FIGS. 20 and 21 are a schematic cross-section of a locking clip housing having two locking windows and the bolt and wedges of a locking clip for locking therein, respectively;

FIG. 21 shows in side-sectional profile, a plurality of housings similar to those illustrated in FIG. 20A and a corresponding plurality of locking clips for locking therein, respectively;

FIG. 22 is a schematic side-sectional view of a locking clip having two confinement rims;

FIG. 23 shows the housing of FIG. 8 , having seated therein the gasket of FIG. 22 ;

FIG. 24 is a view similar to FIG. 22 , but showing a gasket with four confinement rims;

FIG. 25A is a plate edge portion and groove, including a cross-sectional view of the gasket spine, showing a locking window parallel to the groove;

FIGS. 25B-25E are cross-sectional views of the locking window of FIG. 25A, taken along line A-A therein, in accordance with various modifications;

FIG. 26 shows insertion of a locking clip into a locking clip housing having two opposing locking windows, and showing locking by six locking rims;

FIGS. 27A and 27B show a gasket for insertion into a housing having a pair of diagonally formed windows;

FIG. 28A is schematic plan view (not to scale) of an edge portion of a plate including its gasket groove, showing laterally formed locking windows formed in peak portions of the plate edge (seen in FIGS. 28B and 28C);

FIGS. 28B and 28C show locking windows formed in peak portions of the plate edge facing inward into the gasket groove, adjacent to a valley and adjacent to a peak, respectively;

FIG. 28D shows a pack of stacked plates including lateral windows such as seen in FIGS. 28B and 28C;

FIG. 29A is a schematic plan view of a lateral locking window formed in a raised geometric support formed in a valley portion of the plate;

FIG. 29B is a schematic plan view of a gasket having a loop supporting an inward-facing locking clip having a release lever formed therewith;]

FIG. 29C (i)-(iii) are side sectional views showing (i) the locking clip housing along section B-B and (i) the gasket and locking clip along section A-A; and a sectional view of the fully assembled gasket and locking clip housing;

FIGS. 30A and 30B are schematic plan views of a gasket with locking clip, and a plate edge portion with locking clip housing configured to lockingly engage the locking clip, respectively, the housing having a pair of opposing windows;

FIG. 30C is a cross-sectional view of the housing of FIG. 30B taken along C-C therein;

FIGS. 31A and 31B are sectional views taken along line B-B in FIG. 30B, before and after engagement of a locking clip in the form of a truncated arrowhead;

FIGS. 32A and 32B are sectional views similar to FIGS. 31A and 31B, but wherein the locking windows converge towards each other in a downward direction, and wherein the locking clip has additional confinement surfaces for engaging the lower locking rims of the windows;

FIG. 33A is a schematic plan view of an edge portion of a plate including its gasket groove and a valley portion in which raised or peak portions are formed so as to form a double locking window, showing laterally formed locking windows formed in peak portions of the plate edge;

FIG. 34B shows a gasket having a loop and a double clip for locking with the locking windows of FIG. 34A;

FIG. 35 is a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a locking clip housing with three locking windows;

FIG. 36 is a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a 45 degree locking clip housing with three locking windows and one bolt groove;

FIG. 37 is a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a locking clip housing with four locking windows;

FIG. 38A is a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a ring-like locking clip housing with two inward facing or internal locking windows;

FIG. 38B is a detailed plan view and of a gasket locking clip for locking engagement with the locking clip housing of FIG. 38A;

FIG. 38C is a detailed plan view and part sectional view A-A of the gasket locking clip of FIG. 38B when fully assembled within the locking clip housing of FIG. 38A;

FIG. 39A is a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a ring-like locking clip housing with two inward facing or internal locking windows and two outward-facing or external windows;

FIG. 39B is a detailed plan view and of a gasket locking clip for locking engagement with the locking clip housing of FIG. 39A;

FIG. 39C is a detailed plan view and part sectional view A-A of the gasket locking clip of FIG. 39B when fully assembled within the locking clip housing of FIG. 39A;

FIGS. 40A and 40B are is a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a locking clip housing with two rounded windows and one bolt groove, and an enlarged view of the locking clip housing, respectively;

FIG. 41 is a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a locking clip housing with a single, long round window and one bolt groove;

FIGS. 42A-42C are an isometric view of a rounded window formed in a peak portion of a plate edge portion; a plan view thereof, and an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along A-A in FIG. 42B, respectively;

FIGS. 43A-43B are a plan view of a plate edge portion with a series of adjacent pairs of locking windows, and a plan view and side views of a series of similar locking clips configured for engagement with the series of adjacent pairs of locking windows of FIG. 43A, respectively;

FIG. 44 is an enlarged view of a single locking clip seen in FIG. 43B, having a built in squeezable upper portion for ease of insertion into a locking clip housing;

FIGS. 45A and 45B are detailed top isometric views of an edge portion of a heat exchanger plate having a locking clip housing formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 46A and 46B are views similar to those of FIGS. 45A and 45B , as seen from underneath;

FIGS. 47A-47D are detailed views of a portion of a sealing gasket with a locking clip formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 48A is a detailed view of the locking clip housing and locking clip of FIGS. 45A-47D immediately prior to insertion of the locking clip into the locking clip housing, as seen from above;

FIG. 48B is a detailed view of the locking clip housing and locking clip of FIGS. 45A-47D in mutually locked engagement, corresponding to the view of FIG. 48A, but as seen from below;

FIGS. 48C and 44D are partial cross-section views of the locking clip housing and locking clip as illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8B, as seen from different angles;

FIG. 48E is a schematic illustration showing a locking clip prior to locking engagement with a gasket locking clip housing as viewed in cross-section as at A-A in FIG. 41A, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 48F is a further illustration of the locking clip and locking clip housing of FIG. 48E, in mutually locked engagement;

FIGS. 49A-49C are a detailed plan view of a plate edge portion having a vertical single window a clip housing which opens out directly into the gasket groove; a horizontal locking clip with wedge for use therewith; and a plan view of full assembly of the locking clips with the housings, respectively; and

FIG. 50 is an isometric view of a linear locking pin and associated locking clip housing, according to a further embodiment of the invention, and as seen in FIG. 17B.

SUPPLEMENTARY DESCRIPTION

The present description relates to additional aspects of the invention as exemplified in some of the drawings not described above in the General Description.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 13A and 13B, there are seen two different types of engagement of locking clip 30 with the inward-facing vertical window 1, formed in out-gasket or plate edge portion 14′, and whose bolt groove 67 is continuous and coplanar with gasket groove 16. It will be noted that in one embodiment, the upper perpendicular locking rim 6 which defines the top of the window may be formed at the height of peak plane P′, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 13B, whereas in FIG. 13A there is provided a protrusion 62 which extends above the height of the peak plane P′, thereby advantageously increasing the height of the window so as to enable use of a locking clip bolt 106 and wedges 108 whose height or thickness is commensurately greater.

The main difference between the two illustrated configurations is that, while the locking clip extends transversely from the gasket spine 22, in FIG. 6 , the direction of engagement is vertical, while in FIGS. 13A and 13B, it is horizontal.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6 , the exemplary truncated arrowhead form provided by the wedges, seen also in FIG. 9 , is aligned so as to be facing in a downwardly vertical direction at approximately right angles, with the upward-facing confinement rim 103 of each wedge 108 in the XY plane, and at right angles to the direction of entry into window 1, as indicated by arrows 9. Forced entry of the locking clip in the indicated Z or vertical direction, causes the angled edge 109 of each wedge 108 to engage the indicated perpendicular locking rims 4 so as to contract. After clearing the locking rims 4, the wedges expand to their original shape such that upward facing horizontal wedge confinement rims 103 engage the continuous locking rims 6, thereby to become interlocked with the locking clip housing.

With regard to FIGS. 13A and 13B however, as the gasket bolt 106 is formed such that the truncated arrowhead faces in a horizontal direction and is formed for engagement with housing 60 in the XY plane as seen by horizontal arrow 99.

In the embodiment of FIG. 13A, vertical window 1 is provided with a pair of right and left side, vertical locking rim portions 150 in the form of right-angled triangles, defining front locking rims 214 and rear, right and left locking rims 215. The wedges 6 which are coplanar with bolt 106, both extending horizontally from spine 22, have vertical, right and left confinement rims 115.

Forced entry of the locking clip in the indicated Y or horizontal direction, causes the angled edge 109 of each wedge 108 to engage the indicated front locking rims 214 so as to contract. After clearing the rear locking rims 215, the wedges expand to their original shape such that vertical wedge confinement rims 115 engage the rear continuous locking rims 215, thereby to become interlocked with the locking clip housing.

Referring briefly to FIG. 9 , there is a seen a locking clip which is formed so as to have a downward-facing truncated arrowhead profile. However, as distinct from the locking clip of FIG. 6 , it has rearward facing vertical confinement rims 117.

Referring now also to FIGS. 18A-18I, a window formed in accordance with the present invention has a shaped contoured rim that is either flat or in any curved form, and its shape can be square, oblong, rhomboid, triangular, or any other shape, as shown. The upper line UL of the window (denoted for example, in FIGS. 18D and 18EI) can, but does need not be, parallel to the X-Y plane of the plate, as can other contours of the window. Furthermore, the shape of the window either can be closed or can have an open section in one of its sections in any direction, as predetermined, and as seen in FIGS. 18D-18I.

Reference is now made to FIG. 19A which is a schematic side-sectional view of a locking clip housing 60 having a single window 1. Window 1 is bounded on all sides by window rim surfaces, having an upper rim 2 and a lower rim 3, as well as side rims (not shown), all of which are, more or less, parallel to the plane of the window 1. The rims are essentially outward continuations of the window, and may be referred to as ‘continuing planar rim surfaces’ of the window. They include, in the present drawing, an upper continuing locking rim 4 and a lower continuing locking rim 5. Perpendicular to the planar rim surfaces are rim surfaces that are perpendicular thereto, including upper perpendicular side surface or rim 6, and lower perpendicular side surface or rim 7. It will be appreciated that the described contoured window is located along the connecting line between the continuing rim surfaces 4 and 5 and the perpendicular rim surfaces 6 and 7.

For the sake of simplicity, the window illustrated in FIG. 19A is shown without drawing or bending, and as having a maximum height. However, the above description and features also apply to partially perforated, drawn or bent windows, and portions and components shown and described hereinbelow similar to those shown and described above, are denoted by similar reference numerals. It will also be appreciated that while only the upper and lower rims of a single window 1 of a single locking clip housing 60 has been described, lateral rims and other features not seen in FIG. 19A are shown and described in conjunction with additional embodiments of the invention.

The continuous and perpendicular upper and lower rim surfaces shown and described in conjunction with the single window example of FIG. 19A, and the parallel, upper and lower, left and right pairs of perpendicular locking rims, are the available locking rims that the partially perforated (and drawn) window structure (or the windows) provide as support and locking rims for the corresponding wedge confinement rims, as shown, by way of one exemplary embodiment, in FIG. 19B.

Referring now briefly to FIG. 19B, the gasket locking clip 30 includes a bolt 106 having, in the present example, two confinement wedges 108, each formed with formed with a pair of confinement rims which, when forced into abutting engagement with the corresponding locking rims serve to confine the bolt 106 within housing 60, so as to become locked therein. Specifically, the illustrated wedge 108 has the following confinement rims:

-   -   a. Upper continuous confinement rim 102 for abutting upper         continuous locking rim 4;     -   b. Upper perpendicular confinement rim 103 for abutting upper         perpendicular locking rim 6;     -   c. Lower continuous confinement rim 104 for abutting lower         continuous locking rim 5; and     -   d. Lower perpendicular confinement rim 105 for abutting lower         perpendicular locking rim 7.

To achieve optimal confinement and clip locking, it is possible to use some or all of the confinement rims.

A gasket bolt 106 and its wedges 108 can extend and connect to one window 1 or more windows in the plate, as shown in various examples below. Windows can be perpendicular to the X-Y plane of the plate, or can present at an angle relative to the X-Y plane and to the X and Y axes.

The gasket wedges with their confinement rims, when combined with the locking surfaces of the plate windows, creates a stable and strong gasket to plate connection that does not open easily when handled in an unskilled manner by someone not fully trained in servicing a heat exchanger employing the herein described plate and gasket. This increases the reliability of such heat exchangers, and enables untrained personnel to handle and service them, including replacing gaskets, or opening and closing them for testing, without giving rise to possible malfunction, as with the prior art.

For conciseness and ease of reference, unless specifically stated otherwise, the following reference numerals apply throughout the description, when making reference to a locking window, its rims, the locking clip confinement surfaces for confinement thereagainst:

1—window

-   -   2—upper rim (generally     -   3—lower rim (generally)     -   4—upper continuing (locking) rim     -   5—lower continuing (locking)rim     -   6—upper perpendicular (locking)rim     -   7—lower perpendicular (locking) rim     -   102—upper continuous confinement rim     -   103—upper perpendicular confinement rim     -   104—lower continuous confinement rim     -   105—lower perpendicular confinement rim,

wherein mutually corresponding left-sided and right-sided surfaces are denoted by the same reference numeral, but with the addition of an apostrophe ('). For example, the left side lower continuing (locking) rim of a window is referenced 5, and the corresponding rim on the right side is referenced 5′.

Referring now to FIG. 20 , there is seen a locking clip housing 60 having two locking windows 1 and 1′. These windows are similar to that shown and described in conjunction with FIG. 19A above, and are this not specifically described again herein. Bolt 106 seen in FIG. 21 , configured for forced entry into housing 60 (FIG. 20 ) is as shown and described in FIG. 3B, except that the complete profile is shown herein, wherein the left side of the bolt and its wedges 108 are formed for entry into left side window 1 and locking abutment with its various locking rims, while the right side of the bolt and its wedges 108′ are formed for entry into left side window 1′ and locking abutment with its various locking rims.

Referring now again to FIG. 8 ., there is seen a schematic side-sectional view of a locking clip housing 60 showing a single locking window 1, and four locking rims 4,5,6 and 7, as depicted in FIG. 3A. As demonstrated in FIGS. 19A, 22 and 23 , housing 60 is able to lock a locking clip bolt 106 which may variously configured to have upper continuous confinement rim 102, upper perpendicular confinement rim 103, and lower continuous confinement rim. However, bolt 106 may be modified so as to have an additional, lower wedge 108″, and as shown and described in conjunction with FIG. 19B.

Referring now to FIG. 25A, there is shown a plate edge portion having a locking clip housing 60 including a single window 1, which, as seen in the illustrated plan view, has a profile that runs along groove 16. This is seen more clearly in FIG. 25B, which clearly illustrated an X-Y planar offset between the upper and lower continuous locking rims 4 and 5, respectively. In FIG. 10C this offset is reduced significantly, in FIG. 25E the profile is as seen in FIG. 3A, and in FIG. 25D there is an overhang, wherein the upper window rims overhang the lower rims.

Referring now to FIG. 26 , there are shown a locking clip housing 60 having two windows 1 and 1′ as shown and described above in conjunction with FIG. 20 , and a locking clip 30 whose bolt 106 has a cross-sectional profile, as seen, of a truncated arrow. This combination is shown and described in detail below, in conjunction with FIGS. 45A-48F and is thus not described again herein.

As discussed herein, locking clips 30 and locking clip housings 60 may be provided in any number, and in many different orientations relative to the X-Y-Z system of axes described above in conjunction with FIG. 7 , provided that there are provided the requisite number of locking rims and confinement rims, distributed along the Z-axis, i.e. as long as the window opening has a component of separation which is perpendicular to the X-Y plane of the plate. This for example, referring now to FIGS. 27A and 27B, there is seen a gasket with diagonal wedges for insertion into a double locking clip, having a pair of correspondingly formed, diagonally oriented windows.

FIGS. 28A-28C show a window 1 formed in an edge portion 14′ of a plate including its gasket groove, in which the window is formed along the edge of the gasket groove 16, in a peak portion, labelled “peak”, of the plate edge 14′. FIG. 28D illustrates a plurality of stacked plates, each having a housing as seen in FIGS. 28B and 28C, in which is locked a gasket.

Referring now to FIG. 29A and 29C(i), there is seen a plate edge having an outward-facing locking window 1 formed in a raised geometric support 203 formed in a valley portion 202 of the plate. An appropriately formed locking clip is seen in FIG. 29B to be positioned away from spine 22 of gasket 20 by a loop 206 having locking clip 30 formed thereon. A wedge portion 8 of the locking clip is seen to be facing inwardly, back towards the spine, so as to be lockingly insertable into the outward-facing window 1. Wedge portion has suitable upward and downward facing confinement rims for abutting confinement by corresponding locking rims. There may also be provided a graspable handle or lever 208 which may be used to insert the wedge portion 8 into the window 1 so as to lockingly engage the locking clip with the housing 60, as seen in FIGS. 29C (ii) and (iii). A similar solution is also seen in FIGS. 33A and 33B, having a pair of facing windows 1, 1′ formed between two raised surfaces 203, parallel to the gasket groove, and wherein the locking clip (FIG. 33B) has a pair of wedge portions 8,8′ for insertion through windows 1,1′, as described herein.

As seen in FIG. 30B, windows 1 may be formed so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to gasket groove 16. In the present example, a pair of inward facing windows 1′ and 1″ are formed in a depressed portion 202 of the plate edge portion 14′. When seen in cross-section, the windows may be formed such that their upper and lower continuous locking rims 4 and 5 are in full registration, along a line parallel to the Z-axis (FIG. 1 ) such as seen in FIG. 317A, or so as to extend along a slight incline relative thereto, such as seen in FIG. 32A, also seen in detail in FIG. 4 . The shape of the bolt and wedge portions of the locking clip illustrated in FIGS. 317A and 31B are as shown and described above in conjunction with FIG. 26 ; while that illustrated in FIGS. 32A and 32B is as shown and described in conjunction with FIG. 21 .

Regardless of configuration however, and referring again briefly to FIGS. 31A-31B, the distance between the upper perpendicular confinement rim and lower perpendicular confinement rim of the locking clip, and the distance between the upper perpendicular locking rim and lower perpendicular locking rim of the locking clip is equal, indicated by the letter “a” in the drawings.

Referring briefly now to FIGS. 15A-15L, there are provided examples showing the variety of shapes that the windows of the gasket locking clip housing of the present invention may be implemented. These examples also clearly illustrate a variety of heights at which the windows may be formed relative to the X-Y plane (FIG. 1 ) of the plate, being coplanar; raised; and irregular, such as the illustrated fancifully shaped window.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing description, clip housings 60 of the present invention may be formed so as to have multiple locking windows in a variety of orientations, there being gasket locking clips formed so to interlock therewith, with single or multiple bolts, formed also at correspondingly varying orientations, all of which embody the basic construction and mode of operation of the present invention as shown and described hereinabove.

Thus, by way of example only, and with reference to FIGS. 35-41 and 49-51 , there may be provided:

a locking clip housing with three locking windows (FIG. 35 );

a 45 degree locking clip housing with three locking windows and one bolt groove (FIG. 36 );

a locking clip housing with four locking windows (FIG. 37 );

a ring-like locking clip housing with two inward facing or internal locking windows (FIG. 38A) with a locking clip (FIG. 348 ) configured for locking engagement therewith, illustrated in full assembly in FIG. 38C;

a two ring-like locking clip housing with two inward facing or internal locking windows and two outward-facing or external windows (FIG. 39A) with a locking clip configured for locking engagement therewith, illustrated in full assembly in FIG. 39C;

a locking clip housing with two rounded windows and one bolt groove (FIGS. 40A and 40B);

a plate edge portion having a locking clip housing with a single, long round window and one bolt groove (FIG. 41 );

a vertical single window with different types pf horizontal engagement clip (FIG. 49 )

a clip housing which opens out directly into the gasket groove (FIG. 50 ).

Yet a further example of an embodiment of the present invention is seen in FIGS. 42A-42C, in which is illustrated a rounded window 1. In this embodiment, it is clearly seen that the window, formed as a partial perforation in a raised or peak portion 203 of the plate edge portion 14′, is open in three directions. The upper or strike portion of the housing 60 is the surrounding portion of the plate edge, defining upper continuous locking rim 4 and upper perpendicular locking rim 6; while the lower or bearing portion of the housing forms the bottom of the window, defining lower continuous locking rim 5 and lower perpendicular locking rim 7.

Referring now to FIGS. 43A and 43B, multiple windows, such as a series of pairs of inward facing windows 1, 1′ seen in FIG. 43A, may be formed in a plate edge. In the present example a series of 6 pairs is shown. There is also seen a gasket 20 (FIG. 43B), suitable for interlocking engagement with the series of pairs of windows. The exemplary series of 4 locking clips 30 a, 30 b, 30 c, 30 d may be of any suitable configuration embodying the present invention, as shown by way of example. It will also be seen that locking clip 30 a, which is a variation of the locking clip shown and described above in conjunction with FIG. 20B, is formed with a recess 310 in its upper portion, as seen in the enlarged view of FIG. 44 . This provides additional flexibility to the locking clip which may assist in insertion of the locking clip into the housing.

Referring now to FIGS. 45A-48D, a further embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein. As seen in FIGS. 45A-46B edge portion 14 is seen to be formed of a succession of alternating hills 112 and valleys 114, typically as known in the art. This pattern is stamped into the sheet metal together with the other functional features of the plate.

During the stamping process, a locking clip housing 60 is formed at each of locations 14 (FIG. 7 ) within edge portion 14 of plate 10. Locking clip housing 60 is essentially a partial perforation of edge portion 14 which results in height differentiated locking clip housing portions so as to form an opening 62 (FIGS. 48E and 48F), as described hereinbelow in detail. Typically, as described above, locking clip housing 60 is formed by modifications to the dies used in the stamping process, particularly with regard to the die tolerances, thereby to cause selective shearing of the plate metal, which otherwise is drawn, thereby to obtain the continuous undulating pattern of hills and valleys, within which locking clip housings 60 are formed, as described.

As seen, locking clip housing 60 is formed integrally with the plate edge portion 14 for interlocking engagement with a gasket locking clip 30. Locking clip housing 60 has a locking opening 62 (FIG. 48E) for accommodating the sealing gasket bolt 106 (shown and described below) in mutual locked engagement. Opening 62 has an orifice 64, seen also in FIG. 48C, having a width Wo dimensioned to accommodate the width Wb of the bolt, and a depth Do dimensioned to accommodate the height Hb of the bolt.

Locking clip housing 60 is formed of a planar strike portion 66 which is a portion of and thus coplanar with the edge portion 14 of the plate 10, configured to so as to form orifice 64. As seen, orifice 64 is typically bounded on three sides, and is typically open to groove 16 on the fourth side, as indicated by reference numeral 65.

A protective bearing plate portion 68, spaced apart from the strike portion 66 by depth Do, is connected between plate edge portion 14 and groove 16, and defines lateral windows 1 for accommodating bolt wedges 108, shown and described in conjunction with FIGS. 47A-48D below.

As seen, planar strike portion 66 has a pair of upper continuous locking rims 4, 4′ which together define width Wo of orifice 64, and upper perpendicular locking rims 6,6′ (FIGS. 46A-46B).

Bearing plate portion 68 has a pair of lower continuous locking rims 5, 5′, and a lower perpendicular locking rim 7, parallel to the upper perpendicular locking rim 6 of the planar strike portion.

Further, also as seen in FIGS. 45A-46B, the protective bearing plate portion 68 has first and second ends 82 and 84 respectively, wherein first end 82 is connected to the plate in the region of groove 16, and second end 84 is contiguously connected to plate edge portion 14 by means of a transition bearing portion 69 having a predetermined slope.

Referring now to FIGS. 47A-48D, the locking clip 30 of the invention has a bolt 106 which is formed with and extends transversely from the gasket spine. The width Wb of the bolt 106 as taken in a direction parallel to the spine 22 and the height Hb of the bolt 106, are predetermined for insertion into the opening 62 of the locking clip housing, wherein Wb is equal or just greater than the width Wo of the orifice 64, and the height Hb is equal to the depth Do of the opening 62 such that on full insertion of the bolt 106 into the opening 62, as seen in FIG. 44D, the lower confined rim 105 engages the protective bearing plate portion 68. The presence of the bearing plate portion 68 not only helps to lock the bolt 106 and thus the locking clip 30, but also prevents inadvertent release of the locking clip 30 by preventing application to the lower confined rim 105 of a direct force which might otherwise force bolt 106 upwards through the locking clip housing 60.

As seen, the bolt 106 has typically a pair of laterally disposed, elastically deformable wedges 108. In the present example, each wedge 108 has an upper perpendicular confinement rim 103, and the width Wf of the wedges 108, as measured from the tip 35 of one wedge 108 to the tip 35 of the other wedge 108, is greater than the width Wb of the bolt 106 and greater than the width Wo of the orifice 64. As illustrated schematically in FIGS. 5A and 5B, upon forcible insertion of the bolt 106 and the elastically deformable wedges 108 into the opening 62, through the orifice 64, until the generally planar lower confined rim 105 bears directly onto the lower perpendicular locking rim 7 of the bearing plate portion 68, the wedges 108 deform elastically so as to pass through the orifice 64 into the opening 62.

Once the wedges 108 have cleared the shaped edges upper continuous locking rim 4 of the strike portion 66, they recover elastically so as to extend laterally through windows 1 (FIGS. 5A and 5B), after which the upper perpendicular confinement rim 103 of each wedge 108 engages the upper perpendicular locking rim 6 of the strike portion 66 so as to resist withdrawal of the bolt 106 from the opening 62 through the orifice 64.

Further, it will be appreciated that the engagement of the lower confined rim 105 with the lower perpendicular locking rim 7 of the protective bearing plate portion 68 in combination with the engagement of the upper perpendicular confinement rims 103 of the wedges 108 with the downward facing surface upper perpendicular locking rim 6 of the strike portion 66, combine to resist a rotational unlocking force applied to the locking clip 30.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove, merely by way of example. Rather, the invention is defined solely by the claims, which follow. 

1. A heat exchanger plate having a length extending along an X axis and a breadth extending along a Y axis perpendicular to axis X such that said plate resides in an X-Y plane, and having features of topography having at least a Z component parallel to a Z axis, perpendicular to the X-Y plane, said heat exchanger plate comprising: a. upper and lower sides and at least one edge portion; b. a groove formed in said upper side parallel to said edge portion, for seating a spine of a sealing gasket having at least one locking clip including a bolt and at least one bolt wedge protruding laterally from the bolt and having at least one angled confinement rim; and c. at least one locking clip housing formed integrally with said edge portion for locking engagement with the at least one gasket locking clip, each said at least one locking clip housing comprising: a strike portion contiguous with a predetermined edge portion, terminating at at least one upper locking rim portion; a bearing plate portion connected to said edge portion and terminating at at least one lower locking rim portion; and at least one side rim portion disposed between said upper locking rim and said at least one lower locking rim, and together therewith defines a window residing in a plane whose directional components include at least one Z component parallel to the Z axis, said window configured to receive said least one bolt wedge therethrough so as to abut against and in locking confinement with said upper and lower locking rim portions.
 2. A heat exchange plate according to claim 1, wherein each said upper locking rim portion comprises an upper continuous locking rim and an upper perpendicular locking rim, and each said lower locking rim portion comprises a continuous locking rim and an upper perpendicular locking rim, wherein each of said upper continuous locking rim and lower continuous locking resides in a plane whose directional components include at least one Z component parallel to the Z axis.
 3. A heat exchange plate according to claim 2, wherein said upper continuous locking rim and said lower continuous locking rim are mutually coplanar, and said upper perpendicular locking rim upper perpendicular locking rim are mutually parallel.
 4. A heat exchange plate according to claim 1, wherein each said strike portion terminates at at least two upper locking rim portions, said bearing plate portion terminates at at least two said lower rim portions, and said at least one side rim includes a pair of said side rims, and wherein said pair of upper locking rim portions, said pair of lower rim portions and said pair of side rim portions define therebetween a pair of said windows.
 5. A heat exchange plate according to claim 1, wherein each said strike portion terminates at a predetermined number of upper locking rim portions, said bearing plate portion terminates at a predetermined number of lower locking rim portions equal to said predetermined number of said upper locking rim portions, wherein each pair comprising a single one of said upper locking rim portions in positional registration with a single one of said lower locking rim portions defines a window, such that the total number of windows equals said predetermined number.
 6. A heat exchange plate according to claim 1, wherein said topography includes peaks and valleys and the total height of said plate is the maximum distance between the top of the highest peak and the bottom of the lowest valley when measured parallel to the Z axis, and wherein said window has a height as measured between said upper and lower perpendicular locking rims, which is greater than said total height of said plate.
 7. A heat exchange plate according to claim 1, wherein said upper and lower locking rim portions are configured to define a window whose shape is selected from the group which consists of: square, round, rectangular, triangular, rhomboid, a fanciful, non-geometric shape.
 8. A heat exchange plate according to claim 2, wherein said locking clip housing has a depth equal to the distance between said upper perpendicular locking rim and said lower perpendicular locking rim, said depth equal to a depth required to accommodate the bolt of the locking clip in a predetermined direction.
 9. For use with a heat exchanger plate residing in an X-Y plane and having upper and lower sides, at least one edge portion, a gasket groove, and a locking clip housing integral with the edge portion, the locking clip housing having a strike portion and a bearing plate portion spaced apart in a direction transverse to the X-Y plane so as to form an opening having an insertion axis and a width measured transversely thereto, the strike portion and bearing plate portion also having locking rims between which is defined a locking window transverse to the bearing plate portion, a sealing gasket comprising: a. a spine for seating within the groove; and b. at least one integrally formed locking clip comprising: a bolt extending transversely from said spine, dimensioned for seating within the opening so as to abut one of the locking rims of the bearing plate portion when fully inserted; and at least one compressible wedge extending laterally from said bolt such that combined width of said bolt and said at least one wedge is greater than the width of the opening, said wedge having at least one confinement rim, wherein on full insertion of said bolt and said at least one wedge into said opening, said bolt abuts one of the locking rims of the beating plate, thereby to be protected from a direct unlocking force, and said at least one wedge extends transversely from said bolt through the locking window such that said at least one confinement rim engages at least one of the locking rims of the strike portion and bearing plate portion, thereby to resist withdrawal of said locking clip from the housing.
 10. A sealing gasket according to claim 9, wherein the strike portion has an upper continuous locking rim and an upper perpendicular locking rim, and the bearing plate portion has a lower continuous locking rim and a lower perpendicular locking rim which is opposite the upper perpendicular locking rim, and wherein said at least one wedge comprises at least two wedges, each having at least one confinement rim configured for abutting engagement against and confinement by a predetermined one of the locking rims of the strike portion and bearing plate portion.
 11. A sealing gasket according to claim 10, wherein said at least two wedges includes an upper wedge having formed thereon: an upward facing, upper continuous confinement rim configured to abut the upper continuous locking rim; an upper perpendicular confinement rim configured to abut the upper perpendicular locking rim; a downward facing lower continuous confinement rim configured to abut the lower continuous locking rim; and a lower perpendicular confinement rim configured to abut the lower perpendicular locking rim.
 12. A sealing gasket according to claim 11, wherein the locking window resides in a plane transverse to the X-Y plane, and said upward facing, upper continuous confinement rim and said a downward facing lower continuous confinement rim are coplanar with the plane of the locking window.
 13. A sealing gasket according to claim 11, wherein the locking window resides in a plane transverse to the X-Y plane, and said upward facing, upper perpendicular confinement rim and said a downward facing lower perpendicular confinement rim are perpendicular to the plane of the locking window.
 14. A sealing gasket according to claim 10, wherein the locking pin housing includes a pair of strike portions whose upper perpendicular locking rims combine with the lower perpendicular locking rims to define a pair of opposing locking windows, and wherein said locking clip has a cross-sectional profile of a truncated arrow having an axis of symmetry, wherein said bolt is positioned along the axis of symmetry, and said at least one wedge includes a pair of wedges formed symmetrically about said bolt, each for extending through one of the pair of opposing locking windows, and each having an upward facing upper perpendicular confinement dm for abutting a corresponding upper perpendicular locking rim of the pair of strike portions.
 15. A sealing gasket according to claim 10, wherein the locking clip housing contains a predetermined number of multiple locking windows each of predetermined configuration, arranged in a predetermined spatial arrangement and orientation with respect to the X-Y-Z-axes, and wherein said at least one wedge comprises a number of said wedges extending from said bolt, whose number, spatial arrangement and orientation correspond to those of the locking windows.
 16. A heat exchanger plate and sealing gasket locked thereto in combination, said combination comprising: a. a heat exchange plate having a length extending along an X axis and a breadth extending along a Y axis perpendicular to axis X such that said plate resides in an X-Y plane, and having features of topography having at least a Z component parallel to a Z axis, perpendicular to the X-Y plane, having upper and lower sides, a groove for seating a sealing gasket spine, at least one edge portion, and a plurality of locking clip housings formed at predetermined discrete locations therealong each having an opening having a locking clip insertion axis; and b. a sealing gasket having a spine for seating in said groove, and a plurality of integrally formed locking clips at discrete positions along said spine for locking engagement with said plurality of locking clip housings, each said locking clip having a bolt extending transversely from said spine, said bolt dimensioned for seating within the opening so as to abut one of the locking rims of the bearing plate portion when fully inserted, wherein each said locking pin housing is formed integrally with said edge portion for interlocking engagement with a single one of said locking clips, and has an opening for accommodating said bolt, wherein said opening has a width dimensioned to accommodate the width of said bolt, and a depth dimensioned to accommodate the height of said bolt, wherein each said locking clip housing comprises: (i) a strike portion contiguous with a predetermined edge portion, terminating at at least one upper locking rim portion; (ii) a bearing plate portion connected to said edge portion and terminating at at least one lower locking rim portion; and (iii) at least one side rim portion disposed between said upper locking rim portion and said at least one lower locking rim portion, and together therewith defines a window residing in a plane whose directional components include at least one Z component parallel to the Z axis, and wherein each said locking clip comprises: (iv) a bolt extending transversely from said spine, dimensioned for seating within the opening so as to abut one of the locking rims of the bearing plate portion when fully inserted; and (v) at least one compressible wedge extending laterally from said bolt such that combined width of said bolt and said at least one wedge is greater than the width of said opening, said wedge having at least one confinement rim, wherein on full insertion of said bolt and said at least one wedge into said opening, said bolt abuts one of said locking rims of said bearing plate portion, thereby to be protected from a direct unlocking force, and said at least one wedge extends transversely from said bolt through said locking window such that said at least one confinement rim engages at least one of said locking rims of said strike portion and said bearing plate portion, thereby to resist withdrawal of said locking clip from said locking pin housing.
 17. A combination according to claim 16, each said locking clip housing according to claim 1, and said locking clip housing according to claim
 9. 18. A pre-assembled heat exchanger plate incorporating a sealing gasket, said pre assembled plate comprising: a heat exchanger plate residing in an X-Y plane and having topographical features having a component parallel to a Z axis perpendicular to said X-Y plane; an edge portion; a groove; a plurality of preformed locking clip housings formed at predetermined positions along said edge portion, each said housing comprising an opening formed through said plate and a plurality of locking elements, arranged along a Z axis perpendicular to said X-Y plane, at least one of said elements being spaced apart from said X-Y plane; and a sealing gasket seated in said groove, having a spine and a plurality of integral locking clips formed at positions corresponding to said predetermined positions of said preformed locking clip housings, each said locking clip protruding into the interior of one of said openings formed through said plate, and comprising at least one integrally formed wedge configured for engagement with and confinement by at least one of said locking elements.
 19. A pre-assembled heat exchanger plate according to claim 18, each said locking clip housing according to claim 1, and said locking clip housing according to claim
 9. 